This Sweary Briefing From One Of Theresa May's Ministers On Brexit Is Everyone Right Now

What is happening?
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On Friday, Theresa May brings back a version of her Brexit deal to the House of Commons for what feels like the 4,000th time.

The difference on this occasion, however, is that her much-maligned agreement has been split into two, hiving off a contentious ‘political declaration’ in the hope of finally getting enough votes to pass the thing.

But the writing already seems to be on the wall. With Labour and the DUP indicating they cannot back what is dubbed WA1 (best not to ask), the PM is staring down the barrel of yet another defeat.

Even her allies appear to have had enough.

In an extraordinary piece of TV, BBC Newsnight Political Editor Nick Watt explained what one Cabinet minister had briefed him about the state of play.

He said: “I said to one Cabinet minister, ‘why is the Prime Minister holding a vote when she is pretty sure she will lose?’

“And using very strong language, this Cabinet minister said: ‘Fuck knows. I am past caring. It is like the living dead in here.’”

The motion to be voted on will not count as a third attempt to pass a “meaningful vote” on May’s deal, because it will not cover the future relationship with Europe.

If passed by MPs on Friday, the vote would qualify the UK to be granted an automatic delay to May 22 of the formal date of Brexit.

The government’s move is set to allow May to present it as a choice between a short delay to Brexit and the potential for a much longer postponement which would mean taking part in European elections.

But it would not allow parliament to go ahead and ratify the withdrawal deal, as Brexit legislation allows this only after the passage of a “meaningful vote” on both the withdrawal agreement and a political declaration on the future relationship.